WEST SUSSEX.- On its Centenary, Alfa Romeo was the guest of honour at the prestigious Goodwood Festival of Speed 2010, which took place from 2nd to 4th July in West Sussex. Over 50 Alfa cars were featured at the event, both past and current vehicles, including sixteen priceless models belonging to the Alfa Romeo History Museum in Milan.

Celebrities, fans and collectors from all over the world were welcomed by a sculpture dedicated to Alfa Romeo, which is inspired by the brand's iconic Cloverleaf badge. Displayed on the front lawn of Goodwood House, the sculpture was created by the famous artist and designer, Gerry Judah, who wanted to celebrate the spirit of Alfa Romeo by showcasing two of the brand's most important cars at the centre of his work: the new Alfa 8C Competizione - the supercar which has won numerous international awards - and the Alfa P2 Grand Prix which won the Automobile World Championship in 1925 (in celebration of this victory, a golden laurel wreath was added to the original Alfa Romeo badge).

Four of the priceless models from the Alfa Romeo History Museum - the 1938 8C 2900B Le Mans Speciale, the 1932 Gran Premio Tipo B (P3), the 1951 Gran Premio Tipo 159 Alfetta and the 1993 155 DTM all took part in the Festival of Speed's main attraction: the demanding Goodwood Hillclimb. The daunting course of almost 2 km opens with a tree-lined run through the southern corner of the Goodwood Estate, before turning sharply in front of Goodwood House. Here the climb begins, up a straight, narrow road enclosed between stone walls and dense woods towards the Goodwood racecourse, which stands at the top of the majestic South Downs. The course, which rises 100 metres from start to finish, is extremely technical and challenging, and puts the skills of concentration and speed of some of the world's greatest drivers through a very stern test.

The remaining 12 models from the Alfa Romeo History Museum were shared between the Cartier "Style et Luxe" concours delegance and the Cathedral Paddock. The indisputable queen of the Supercar paddock is the latest addition to the Alfa Romeo supercar family, the 8C Spider, which turned heads with its award-winning looks and distinctive V8 growl as it made its way past the crowds up Goodwood Hill. The Cathedral Paddock also played host to historic wonders, such as the 1940 Alfa Gran Premio Tipo 512, the car which never managed to race, due to the onset of World war two, and the 164 Pro-Car, which features the world's first ever 10 cylinder engine. Alongside this exhibition of exceptional racing heritage, the 1967 33 Stradale prototipo graced the Cartier lawn, showing the crowds why the Alfa Romeo design has been so highly revered through the decades. Designed by Franco Scaglione, this 1967 prototype was the most expensive car of its time and is considered to be one of the most beautiful cars ever made.